Virginia-based Exotic Nutrition Pet Company sold the unregistered pesticide Exotic Nutrition Kage-Care to Tempe, Ariz., retailer, Pets, Inc. -- a violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. “Selling unregistered pesticides is a significant violation that can result in harm to public health and the environment” said Katherine Taylor, associate director of the EPA’s Community and Ecosystems Division for the Pacific Southwest Region. “Companies must register pesticides with the EPA before distributing and selling such products.”

Exotic Nutrition Kage-Care is used as a virucide, fungicide and disinfectant for pet cages.

The EPA recommends that consumers pay careful attention to pesticides they use in and around their homes.

The agency will not register a pesticide until it has been tested to show that it will not pose an unreasonable risk when used according to directions. The EPA also makes sure that pesticide labels provide consumers with necessary information to use the products safely. Pesticides that have been registered with the agency will have an EPA registration number on the label.

The Arizona Department of Agriculture discovered the violations during an inspection. .